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Join Us at the Chicago Sports Collectible Conference

Actually, high gas prices and cheap airfares (what’s up with that anyway?) mean we’ll be hitting the wild blue yonder.

Yours truly will be manning a corporate booth at the 2008 Premier Collectible Conference at the Stephens Convention Center in Chicago, hoping to meet some of our readers and introduce others to the site.

While you can have your pick of no less than four major shows in Chicago during the first half of 2008, we think the PCCE is different. Not since the early days of bigger card shows–when they used to call them conventions–have we seen a show that incorporates some meaningful dialogue along with the dealer booths.

There will be roundtable discussions, exhibitor conferences and guest speakers discussing a variety of subjects of interest to collectors and dealers. Many of them are open to anyone who attends the event which runs from Thursday through Sunday, April 17-20. Promoter Ryan Friedman has put together what looks to be a well-organized schedule of events to keep things moving.

This is not an autograph show. If you’re looking to stand in line and pay $100 to have someone scribble a Sharpie on a picture or ball, there are plenty of other opportunities to do that . The PCCE will focus on what will be an incredible number of high end items that some familiar hobby names will be bringing. It’s set up to be a little more upscale–a show where you won’t have to put off a trip to the bathroom just because you feel like you’re missing something if you don’t see all 600 tables at one of the mega shows. It’s sort of a throwback–but also the first to kind of offer a nod to the fact that this is big business.

I’m hoping to learn a little more about the people and companies you read about in these pages and come back with a few stories to share in our news section. I’m also hoping to offer them a little insight on how to increase the visibility of the hobby by working with the media. I still think there are a lot of great stories out there waiting to be told but there’s a lack of understanding about how to get that done. I’ll be anxious to hear what collectors, dealers and companies think of us as well. Hopefully I’ll still feel that way come next Sunday night on the plane back home.

If you’re within a reasonable distance, please make it a point to come–at least for a day–and say hello. Check the schedule & show times at PCCE2008.com.
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About Rich Mueller

Rich is the editor and founder of Sports Collectors Daily. A broadcaster and writer for more than 30 years and a collector for even longer than that, he's usually typing something somewhere. Type him back at [email protected]